“There’s a quarrel on the deck… The Great Master sent me to fetch you… Please come quickly!” says the boy and before getting any replies, he runs off.

Tirad sees from his window, a dozen women beating someone on the deck. He can’t say whether it’s a man or a woman being beaten by the angry women of the Saviour Island, since the naked body is covered with blood and the beaters hover over it, but the crying sound that comes out of it is of a woman. A couple of people are trying to separate them. Tirad recognises Lealy who tries to stop the beaters. The children are watching the scene horridly. He doesn’t see any of the disciples amongst them. Of course, they would never give up their afternoon nap for anything, even if someone were beaten to death. He has to go right now. The woman’s cries have turned into slower moans and she might pass out any time or even die. Tirad rushes towards the door cabin, and Farnab follows him.

The children scatter as he approaches the scene and others make way for Tirad and Farnab to get through. Tirad shouts and orders the women to stop the beating. The women each give their victim one last kick in the face and stand above her. A young girl runs towards the beaten woman and takes her head into her arms. Tirad doesn’t say anything to the girl since it is obvious that she is related to the woman. But frowns at the others and sends them away; he only keeps Lealy and the eldest of the women who must be their leader in this violent act. The old woman has tied her grey, braided hair above her head and her cheeks glow from the blood rush of beating the woman. She wants to explain but Lealy interferes.

“This woman and her daughter arrived at the Saviour Island last night… Apparently, the woman had a baby with her. She had buried her dead baby in the sands… The woman got hold of the news and were punishing her…” Lealy explains and takes a deep breath afterward. The old woman takes this chance and starts talking:

“Look! She has shaved her hair! Her daughter as well! They don’t look like Saviour Followers. Why have they come here? Doesn’t she know what disasters she is bringing us by burying her dead baby? She won’t say a word either!” she says excitedly with a raised voice. Tirad turns towards the girl who is trying to pour some water in her mother’s mouth. She doesn’t seem to care that they are talking about them; her hairless head reflects the crimson light of the sunset. Tirad is unable to guess her age. Fifteen? Less or more? Something is strange in this girl. He had seen shaved haired diver women before; the beaten mother looks like one of them but not the girl. A shaved head usually has tiny hairs that darken the skin. But the girl is hairless; she has never had a single hair on her head. She is completely bald. The girl takes the flask to her mother’s mouth again and Tirad notices something in her hands, small, metal plates fastened to her fingertips. He stops Lealy and the old woman who are trying to complete their explanations and moves towards the mother and the daughter. Farnab follows him like a shadow.